Therapists' Perception on Quality of Provider Communication While Wearing a Mask: Impact of a Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established infection prevention recommendations, resulting in hospital systems adopting universal mask-wearing. Mask-wearing and its impact on patient-provider communication have been highlighted, yet have not been systematically studied to date. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of mask-wearing on provider communication during wheelchair education. Allied health professionals (65 physical and occupational therapists and 1 other) completed a 24-item, online self-report survey on the impact of provider mask-wearing on communication with patients and/or their caregivers during wheelchair education. This survey contained questions, graded on 5-point Likert-like scales, regarding the perceived impact of mask-wearing on the quality of communication efficiency and effectiveness, the types and frequency of communication strategies used to enhance communication during breakdowns, knowledge/confidence in implementing communication strategies, and preferences for additional training. Results indicated that mask-wearing impacted communication, yet clinicians made adaptations of various verbal and nonverbal communication strategies to avoid disruptions in providing education. Clinicians identified training preferences for additional support with provider communication. As the pandemic continues, patient-provider communication can be supported through targeted training in communication strategies.